a passport. He doesn’t have any damn document. Where is he going? Even if he decided to leave, he cannot leave. Even the minimum human right of leaving a place you wouldn’t want to live in, you cannot have it.” [Said] Though stateless persons who are required to report to the CBSA are not detained, they live under the constant fear of being detained in the future if they fail to report and feel the pressure of being constantly supervised. 3.6 Access to Health Care As a party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Canada has recognized the right to everyone the highest attainable standard of health, and is obligated to take steps to ensure the full realization of the right.78 Stateless persons without a permanent residency, and thus no access to health care, may be forced to resort to ‘back alley’ treatment, or perhaps treating themselves or not receiving any treatment. “I was sick, oh god, there were times I was sick I just wanted to die but, where can I go? I can’t go anywhere. I learned a long time ago how to stitch myself up, and I’ve stitched myself up a couple times from cuts and wounds, but I don’t go to doctors because I can’t afford to.” [Dave] The cost of healthcare was described as a significant barrier to care. Dave described owing almost CAD 250,000 in medical bills after his second heart attack. Farah described a similar experience when she was forced to visit the hospital a second time. “I found myself in the hospital and I ask the nurse. She said - I don’t have insurance, so I have to pay, I was afraid because how much am I going to pay so I told them I want to go. They gave me something for the panic attack, just to calm down and I wanted to go, I didn’t want to do any other test because it’s so expensive. So luckily, I stopped all the tests but I had to pay CAD 650.” [Farah] “[My daughter] has allergies but they don’t cover her medication, because she doesn’t have OHIP, so she has to pay for it which is too much.” [Fatima] 3.7 Mental Health Mental health and addiction conditions impact stateless people in a variety of ways. Some of these issues may have been present prior to becoming stateless, but being stateless in Canada can exacerbate such issues. For some, the frustration and challenge of maneuvering the immigration system, trying to get a visa or permit, and living without a home can lead to problems such as depression and anxiety. Participants described various challenges to their mental health. Dave spoke to the prevalence of depression. 78 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Article 12; See also Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 24. 29